If you have been playing drums for any length of time at all, then you can teach someone else what you know.
You might say, "Yeah, but I don't know enough, or play well enough to teach." You know more than someone who's never picked up a pair of drumsticks!
You never want to pass up an opportunity to teach someone else how to play drums, or even show them a cool groove or fill. Not only will you be robbing them, but you will also be robbing yourself.
"How so?" you may ask.
We all know that the theater and every play that comes to Broadway have within themselves, like the human being, the seed of self-destruction and the certainty of death. The thing is to see how long the theater, the play, and the human being can last in spite of themselves.
— James Thurber (1894–1961)
When you begin teaching someone some of your drumming knowledge and skills, even if you think it's not much, you will be amazed at the additional things you will learn. You will also begin to realize you knew more than you thought you knew about the drums, which will improve your confidence. And, developing confidence is vital to being a great drummer!
Many new drummers lack confidence. I think one of the main reasons is because they tend to compare themselves with other drummers who have been playing longer, are famous, or who have a bigger drum set. Whatever the reason, don't do that! You're not being fair to yourself.
Have you ever heard the phrase, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder?" What that means is, what may be impressive to you may not be impressive at all to someone else. For example, you may think highly of a particular musician or singer, but someone else is not going to agree with you. They have their own favorites.
What I'm saying is this, you are a better drummer than you think you are. "Better than who?" you may ask. Again, better than someone who's never picked up a pair of drumsticks! See yourself from someone else's perspective. You play. they don't. And, if you have any drumming skills at all, they may think you're awesome.
When you get out on one of those lakes in a canoe like this, you do not forget that you are completely at the mercy of the wind, and a fickle power it is. The playful waves may at any time become too rude for you in their sport, and play right over you.
— Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
Again, teaching what you know will help you to learn even more and will improve your confidence. Besides, teaching someone else how to play an instrument can be a real eye-opening experience for you. Students often bring a whole different perspective to the table and they'll challenge your thinking for sure.
So, find someone who wants to learn to play the drums and then teach them. Finding them is easy. All you have to do is ask. Opportunity abounds for wanna-be drummers!
Dan Brown has been drumming since 1976. Get his FREE report
"Mind Your Drumming: 10 Attitudes That Will Make You a Star" when you subscribe to his FREE Weekly Drum Smart Newsletter. http://www.dbdrumtips.com/freenewsletter.html.